Pivoting Pipe Handler for Tender Assisted Drilling Rigs

ABSTRACT

A pivoting pipe handler for tender assisted drilling rigs is provided that includes a main support structure configured for attaching to a drilling rig at an angle between a drilling rig floor at an upper and a lower platform adjacent thereto. The pipe handler includes a V-door that is pivotally attached to the main support structure at an upper end and further includes an elevating mechanism to raise the lower end of the V-door so that the V-door can move from an inclined position to a horizontal position. The V-door can further include a pipe carrier slidably disposed thereon to extend outwardly from the V-door to the drilling rig floor. The V-door can also include pipe indexers to move tubulars from a storage area on the V-door onto the pipe carrier in addition to pipe kickers to eject tubulars from the pipe carrier to the storage area.

PRIORITY STATEMENT & CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority of U.S. Provisional Patent ApplicationSer. No. 61/328,425 entitled “Pivoting Pipe Handler for Tender AssistedDrilling Rigs” and filed on Apr. 27, 2010; which is hereby incorporatedfor all purposes.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure is related to the field of pipe handlers, inparticular, pipe handlers for tender assisted drilling rigs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

It is known to use pipe handlers on land-based drilling rigs. The pipehandler described in U.S. Publication No. 2006/0285941 is a land rigtype handler and shows the use of a pipe carrier to extend over thedrill rig floor to deliver and receive tubulars or sections of drillpipe to the well bore, however, the system in whole is designed for aland rig, and is not suitable for use on a tender assisted drilling rig(“TAD”); it is designed to be loaded from horizontal pipe racks insteadof from a high-line.

There are other similar systems to U.S. Publication No. 2006/0285941available commercially, which are also designed to be loaded in the samefashion. The pipe handler described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,228,919, and inU.S. Publication No. 2007/0240884 has a stationary horizontal V-doorwith a pivotally mounted section designed to deliver single tubularsvertically to a stand building device. It is not adapted to delivertubulars horizontally over the drill rig floor by mechanical means tothe pick-up elevators. It also does not pivot to receive a bundle ofmultiple tubulars from the high-line at an inclined angle.

U.S. Publication No. 2009/0136326 describes a system that can movetubulars directly from the tender vessel to the vertical orientation inthe mast of the drilling rig derrick directly in line with the wellbore. This system bypasses the V-door entirely in its movement andoperation, however, since by design it can only move a single tubular ata time between the tubular storage location on the tender vessel and therig, it directly links the horizontal pipe handling to the critical pathof rig operations when running in or pulling pipe out of the well bore.It does not have the tubular storage or staging capability of a V-doorthat allows rig operations to be not critically dependent on thehorizontal tubular movement operations to or from the tender vessel.

It is, therefore, desirable to provide a pipe handler that overcomes theshortcomings in the prior art for use on tender assisted drilling rigs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A pivoting pipe handler for tender assisted drilling rigs is provided.In one embodiment, the pipe handler can comprise an entire V-door thatis pivotally mounted, powered and controlled by electromechanical meanswhereby the V-door can be inclined at a predetermined angle to receivebundles of tubulars from a high-line mechanism that transports thetubulars from a tender vessel to the pipe handler. The V-door can thenrotate upwards to a substantially horizontal position to facilitate asafer orientation and position for the manual work in disconnecting andunbundled the tubular payload. The V-door angle can be adjusted foroptimal delivery and retrieval of tubulars to the pick up elevators atthe well bore. In another embodiment, the V-door can comprise a pipecarrier, which can be powered to cantilever over the drill rig floor tothe optimal working position for latching or unlatching the pick upelevators on the tubulars. In another embodiment, the V-door cancomprise pipe handling devices that can push the tubulars off of thepipe carrier, or at one at a time onto the carrier to facilitate pick upand lay down operations. All of the devices can be electrically poweredand controlled from a remote operator station at a safe vantage point.The V-door can also comprise a walkway along its length to provide anoperator with a safe walking space when performing the manual functionsconnecting or disconnecting the tubular payload from the high-line.

In some embodiments, a pipe handler is provided for a tender assisteddrilling rig comprising an elevated drilling rig floor and an adjacentlower platform, the pipe handler comprising: a main support structurehaving upper and lower ends, the upper end configured to operativelycoupled to the drilling rig near the drilling rig floor, the lower endconfigured to operatively couple to the lower platform wherein the mainsupport structure is disposed at an incline thereto; a V-dooroperatively coupled to the main support structure, the V-door comprisingan upper end pivotally attached to the upper end of the main supportstructure; means for elevating the lower end of the V-door operativelydisposed between the main support structure and the V-door; and a pipecarrier slidably disposed on the V-door, the pipe carrier configured toextend from a seated position to an extended position that places thepipe carrier nearer the drilling rig floor.

In some embodiments, a method is provided for handling tubulars on atender assisted drilling rig comprising an elevated drilling rig floorand an adjacent lower platform, the method comprising the steps of:providing the pipe handler of claim 1 disposed between the drilling rigfloor and the lower platform; delivering a plurality of tubulars to thepipe handler from a tender vessel using a high-line mechanism andplacing the tubulars in a storage area on a V-door disposed on the pipehandler; moving the V-door to a substantially horizontal positionrelative to the drilling rig floor; indexing one tubular onto a pipecarrier slidably disposed on the V-door; extending the pipe carriertowards the drilling rig floor; and pushing the tubular along the pipecarrier further towards the drilling rig floor with a skate slidablydisposed on the pipe carrier wherein the tubular can be presented forconnection with a drill string.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side elevation view depicting a drilling rig with a pipehandler and a high-line mechanism for delivering tubulars to the pipehandler;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view depicting the pipe handler of FIG. 1 withits V-door in a horizontal position;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view depicting the piper handler of FIG. 1;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation view depicting the piper handler of FIG. 3with its V-door in a horizontal position;

FIG. 5 is a side elevation view depicting the piper handler of FIG. 4with its V-door in a horizontal position and its pipe carrier extendedtowards the drilling rig floor;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view depicting the piper handler of FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 is an end elevation view depicting the V-door of the pipe handlerof FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is an end elevation view depicting a tubular being ejected fromthe pipe carrier of the V-door of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is an end elevation view depicting an indexer moving a tubularonto the pipe carrier of the V-door of FIG. 7;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view depicting alternate embodiments of thekicker of FIG. 8 and the indexer of FIG. 9;

FIG. 11 is an end elevation cross-section view depicting the kicker ofFIG. 10 ejecting a tubular from the trough of the pipe carrier;

FIG. 12 is an end elevation cross-section view depicting the kicker ofFIG. 10 retracted;

FIG. 13 is an end elevation cross-section view depicting the indexer ofFIG. 10 indexing a tubular into the trough of the pipe carrier;

FIG. 14 is a perspective bottom view depicting the pipe carriermechanism of the V-door of FIG. 7; and

FIG. 15 is a perspective top cut-away view depicting the skate mechanismof the V-door of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A pivoting pipe handler for tender assisted drilling rigs is provided.Referring to FIG. 1, pivoting pipe handler 25 is shown disposed ondrilling rig 30 at an incline between drilling rig floor 32 and lowerplatform 36. In this illustration, tubulars 34 are being delivered topipe handler 25 from a tender (not shown) using high-line mechanism 13,which is a well-known mechanism to those skilled in the art.

Referring to FIG. 2, one embodiment of pipe handler 25 is shown withV-door 2 in a horizontal position. In this embodiment, pipe handler 25can comprise main support structure 1 further comprising V-door 2pivotally attached to the upper end of main support structure 1. Lowerend 38 of V-door 2 can be raised with an elevating mechanism or meansfor elevating lower end 38. In some embodiments, the elevating mechanismcan comprise lift arm 7 pivotally attaching at an upper end thereof toV-door 2, and a lower end thereof slidably disposed on main supportstructure 1, as well known to those skilled in the art. In someembodiments, the lower end of lift arm 7 can be slidably disposed inroller channels 14 disposed on main support structure 1. In thisembodiment, lift arm 7 can comprise horizontal crosshead 9 havingrollers disposed in roller channels 14. Crosshead 9 can further compriseroller screw nut disposed thereon for receiving roller screw 6 that, inturn, is operatively coupled to motor 10 disposed at a lower end of mainsupport structure 1. When motor 10 operates, roller screw 6 can turnclockwise or counter-clockwise, depending on whether lower end 38 ofV-door 2 is to be raised or lowered. When lower end 38 is to be raised,motor 10 is operated to turn roller screw 6 in the direction that causesthe lower end of lift arm 7 to move upwards in roller channels 14. In sodoing, the upper end of lift arm 7 raises causing lower end 38 of V-door2 to pivot upwards until V-door 2 is in a substantially horizontalposition. To lower V-door 2, motor 10 is operated in the oppositedirection to cause the lower end of lift arm 7 to move downwards alongroller channels 14 until V-door 2 is seated within main supportstructure 1. It is obvious to those skilled in the art that othersuitable and equivalent mechanism can be used to elevate and lower lowerend 38 of V-door 2.

In other embodiments, motor 10 can be operated with reducer 12 to lowerthe rotational speed of motor 10, which can also have the effect ofincreasing the torque applied to roller screw 6 by motor 10. Couplers 11can also be used to couple motor 10 to reducer 12, and to couple reducer12 to roller screw 6.

In this illustrated embodiment, the lower end of main support structure1 can be coupled to lower platform 36 with coupling tabs 21. In otherembodiments, pipe handler 25 can comprise stairwell 16 to allowpersonnel to move between drilling rig floor 32 and lower platform 36.Pipe handler 25 can also comprise walkway 15 disposed on V-door to allowpersonnel to move along V-door 2 when it is in a substantiallyhorizontal position.

In this illustrated embodiment, V-door 2 can further comprise pipecarrier 3 that can be slidably disposed on V-door 2 such that it canslidably extend from V-door 2 towards drilling rig floor 32. In otherembodiments pipe carrier 3 can also comprise skate 4 slidably disposedthereon. Skate 4 can further slide along pipe carrier 3. V-door 2 canalso comprise pipe indexers 5 that can move or “index” tubulars fromstorage area 40 on V-door 2 onto pipe carrier 3. In some embodiments,V-door 2 can comprise two or more pipe indexers 5 disposed on theoff-driller side of V-door 2. In some embodiments, V-door 2 can furthercomprise two or more kicker mechanisms 44 disposed on the on-drillerside of V-door 2.

Referring to FIG. 3, V-door 2 of pipe handler 25 is shown in an inclinedposition. Referring to FIG. 4, V-door 2 has been elevated by lift arm 7so that V-door 2 is now in a substantially horizontal position.Referring to FIG. 5, pipe carrier 3 has been extended from V-door 2towards drilling rig floor 32.

Referring to FIG. 6, a top view of pipe handler 25 is shown. In thisfigure, V-door 2 is in a substantially horizontal position with tubular34 positioned on pipe carrier 3, which is shown in a retracted positionon V-door 2. A plurality of tubulars 34 are also shown in storage area40.

Referring to FIG. 7, a tubular 34 is shown sitting on elongateindentation 20 disposed on the top surface of pipe carrier 3. Aplurality of tubulars 34 are also shown sitting on inclined surface 19of storage area 40 of V-door 2.

In one embodiment, a tubular can be ejected from the pipe carrier.Referring to FIG. 8, a tubular 34 is shown being ejected from pipecarrier 3 onto inclined surface 19 by pipe kicker arm 17 that can beextended from kicker mechanism 44. Kicker arm 17 can further comprisekicker roller 22 that can roll on top of pipe carrier 3. In anotherembodiment, kicker arm 17 can pivot about pivot point 23.

In another embodiment, a tubular can be indexed onto the pipe carrier.Referring to FIG. 9, a tubular 34 is pushed, or “indexed”, onto trough20 disposed on pipe carrier 3 by pipe indexer 5 pushing tubulars 34 upinclined surface 19 until a tubular 34 is seated in trough 20 on pipecarrier 3.

In operation, and referring to FIGS. 1 to 9, tubulars 34 can bedelivered to pipe handler 25 from a tender vessel (not shown) usinghigh-line mechanism 13. Tubulars 34 delivered to pipe handler 25 can beplaced in storage area 40 of V-door 2. Tubulars 34 can then be presentedto drilling rig floor 32 by raising V-door 2 to a substantiallyhorizontal position, indexing a tubular 34 onto pipe carrier 3 with pipeindexer 5, extending pipe carrier 3 towards drilling rig floor 32 andpushing tubular 34 along pipe carrier 3 with skate 4 further towardsdrilling rig floor 32 so that the tubular 34 can be tripped into thedrill string as well known to those skilled in the art. This operationcan be reversed to trip tubulars 34 out of the drill string by placingtubulars 34 on extended pipe carrier 3, retracting pipe carrier 3 intoV-door 2 and ejecting tubulars 34 off of pipe carrier 3 with kicker 17towards storage area 40. Lower end 38 of V-door 2 can then be lowered tothe inclined position so that tubulars 38 can be delivered to the tendervessel using high-line mechanism 13.

Referring to FIGS. 10 to 13, alternate embodiments of indexer 5 andkicker mechanism 44 are shown. In some embodiments, kicker mechanism 44can comprise kicker arm 17 operatively coupled to attachment plate 60that can extend through slot 61 and attach or clamp to drive belt 54. Insome embodiments, kicker arm 17 can comprise two rollers 22: onerotatably disposed on kicker arm 17 itself and one rotatably disposed onpivoting arm 74 pivotally attached to kicker arm 17. Kicker arm 17 canfurther comprise guide block 70 slidably disposed on guide shaft or rail66 wherein kicker arm 17 can extend from and retract into kickermechanism 44 as guide block 70 moves along guide shaft or rail 66.Kicker drive belt 54 can pass over idler pulleys 58 and be driven bydrive pulley 56. Drive pulley 56 can be operated by kicker drive motor62, as shown in FIGS. 11 to 13. As kicker drive belt 54 is movedclockwise or counter clockwise by motor 62 operating drive pulley 56,kicker arm 17 can be extended from or retracted into kicker mechanism44, respectively. Referring to FIG. 11, kicker arm 17 is shown beingextended from kicker mechanism 44 to push tubular 34 from trough 20 ontoinclined surface 19. Referring to FIG. 12, kicker arm 17 has beenretracted into kicker mechanism 44 and tubular 34 is disposed oninclined surface 19.

In some embodiments, indexer 5 can comprise push block 46 operativelycoupled to attachment plate 51 that can extend through slot 49 andattach or clamp to drive belt 48. In some embodiments, push block 46 canextend through slot 45. Push block 46 can further comprise guide block72 slidably disposed on guide shaft or rail 68 wherein push block 46 canmove along inclined surface 19 as guide block 72 moves along guide shaftor rail 68. Indexer drive belt 48 can pass over idler pulleys 52 and bedriven by drive pulley 50. Drive pulley 50 can be operated by indexerdrive motor 64, as shown in FIGS. 11 to 13. As indexer drive belt 48 ismoved counter clockwise or clockwise by motor 64 operating drive pulley50, push block 46 can be moved towards or from trough 20, respectively.Referring to FIG. 13, push block 46 is illustrated pushing tubular 34 upinclined surface 19 towards trough 20 wherein tubular 34 can be pushedor “indexed” into trough 20. In some embodiments, indexer 5 and kickermechanism 44 can comprise some or all of the elements of theindexer/kicker disclosed in International Patent Application No.PCT/CA2010/001186 having International Publication Number WO 2011/011887A1, which is incorporated into this application by reference in itsentirety.

Referring to FIG. 14, an embodiment of the mechanism that can be usedfor operating pipe carrier 3 is illustrated. In some embodiments, pipecarrier 3 can comprise a chain or belt and pulley system to extend andretract pipe carrier 3 within V-door 2. In some embodiments, pipecarrier 3 can comprise guide rails 78 that can travel along guide slots80. In further embodiments, pipe carrier 3 can comprise slider pads 82disposed underneath thereunder that can slide along the frame of V-door2. Slider pads 82 can be comprised of a low-friction material as wellknown to those skilled in the art, such as Teflon, high-densitypolyethylene plastic or any other functional equivalent material. Tomove pipe carrier 3 within V-door 2, pipe carrier 3 can comprise chain94 anchored at front anchor point 88 and rear anchor point 96. Chain 94can pass over idler sprockets 84 and drive sprocket 86. Gear motor 92,operatively attached to gear motor mount 90 disposed underneath V-door 2can rotate drive sprocket 86 to move pipe carrier 3 in and out of V-door2. In other embodiments, a belt or wire rope or other functionallyequivalent mechanism as well known to those skilled in the art can besubstituted for chain 94. In some embodiments, pipe carrier 3 canfurther comprise pipe roller 76 rotatably attached thereto to allow pipeor tubulars to move on and off of pipe carrier 3.

Referring to FIG. 15, one embodiment of the mechanism that can be usedfor operating skate 4 on pipe carrier 3 is illustrated. In someembodiments, the operating mechanism for skate 4 can comprise gear motor108 operatively disposed within pipe carrier 3. Gear motor 108 canrotate drive sprocket 106 that can, in turn, rotate drum sprocket 102and capstan drum 100 via chain 104. Capstan drum 100 can reel in and outwire rope 110 that can pass over idler sheave 98 disposed near piperoller 76, and can further pass over idler sheave and tensioner 112 andattach to skate rudder 116 via open spelter sockets 114 disposedthereon. Upon operation of gear motor 108, wire rope 110 can pull skate4 along skate slot 118 disposed on trough 20 to push pipe or tubularsalong pipe carrier 3.

While the illustrated embodiments of kicker mechanism 44 and indexer 5can comprise belts and pulleys, it is obvious to those skilled in theart that belts 48 and 54, and pulleys 50, 52, 56 and 58, can be replacedwith functional equivalents. These equivalents can comprise chains andsprockets, cables and pulleys, intermeshing gears, rack and pinion gearsor any combinations thereof. The operating mechanisms of pipe carrier 3and skate 4 can also be suitably substituted with such functionallyequivalent mechanisms as listed above. It is also obvious to thoseskilled in the art that motors 62, 64, 92 and 108 can be electric motorsof any applicable variant, such as AC fixed frequency motors, ACvariable frequency motors, DC motors, stepper motors or any otherfunctionally equivalent motor including, but not limited to, hydraulicmotors or pneumatic motors. In some embodiments, one or more of motors62, 64, 92 and 108 can comprise a transmission or gear reducer to reduceor step down the rotation speed of the motors, respectively. In someembodiments, motors 62, 64, 92 and 108 can comprise internal or externaltransmissions or gear reducers that can comprise worm gear mechanisms,planetary gear mechanisms, intermeshing gear mechanisms, ring and piniongear mechanisms, any combinations thereof or any other functionallyequivalent mechanisms as known to those skilled in the art.

In some embodiments, the control and operation of one or more of kickermechanism 44, indexer 5 and the operating mechanisms of pipe carrier 3and skate 4 can further comprise operational controls (not shown) thatcan permit the manual operation of one or more kicker mechanisms 44and/or indexers 5 in tandem to move kicker arm 17 in and out of kickermechanism 44, to move push block 46 along inclined surface 19, to movepipe carrier 3 in and out of V-door 2 and to move skate 4 along trough20. If one or more of motors 62, 64, 92 and 108 comprise electricmotors, then the controls can comprise an electrical control panel tocontrol the operation of the motors as known to those skilled in theart. If one or more of motors 62, 64, 92 and 108 comprise hydraulic orpneumatic motors, then the controls can comprise hydraulic or pneumaticcontrol systems as known to those skilled in the art. In someembodiments, one or more of kicker mechanism 44, indexer 5 and theoperating mechanisms of pipe carrier 3 and skate 4 can further compriseat least one automated control mechanism (not shown), such as generalpurpose computers, programmable logic controllers, microprocessors,microcontrollers, hydraulic fluid control systems, pneumatic controlsystems or other functionally equivalents systems as known to thoseskilled in the art to monitor, control and operate one or more of kickermechanism 44, indexer 5 and the operating mechanisms of pipe carrier 3and skate 4, singly or in tandem, manually or as part of an automatedsystem.

In some embodiments, one or more of kicker mechanism 44, indexer 5 andthe operating mechanisms of pipe carrier 3 and skate 4 can comprise oneor more position sensors disposed thereon that can be operativelyconnected to a control system, as known to those skilled in the art (notshown), the sensors can be configured to monitor the position andmovement of kicker arm 17, push block 46, pipe carrier 3 or skate 4,respectively, for use in the control and operation of kicker mechanism44, indexer 5, pipe carrier 3 or skate 4. Suitable examples can includemotion detectors or rotary encoders disposed thereon that can bemonitored by a control system, or disposed within one or more of motors62, 64, 92 and 108. Other examples can include one or more ofelectro-optical and magnetic components, as known to those skilled inthe art, operatively connected to a control system.

Although a few embodiments have been shown and described, it will beappreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes andmodifications might be made without departing from the scope of theinvention. The terms and expressions used in the preceding specificationhave been used herein as terms of description and not of limitation, andthere is no intention in the use of such terms and expressions ofexcluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portionsthereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is definedand limited only by the claims that follow.

1. A pipe handler for a tender assisted drilling rig comprising an elevated drilling rig floor and an adjacent lower platform, the pipe handler comprising: a main support structure having upper and lower ends, the upper end configured to operatively coupled to the drilling rig near the drilling rig floor, the lower end configured to operatively couple to the lower platform wherein the main support structure is disposed at an incline thereto; a V-door operatively coupled to the main support structure, the V-door comprising an upper end pivotally attached to the upper end of the main support structure; means for elevating the lower end of the V-door operatively disposed between the main support structure and the V-door; and a pipe carrier slidably disposed on the V-door, the pipe carrier configured to extend from a seated position to an extended position that places the pipe carrier nearer the drilling rig floor.
 2. The pipe handler as set forth in claim 1, wherein the elevating means comprises a lift arm further comprising upper and lower ends, the upper end pivotally attached to the V-door, the lower end slidably disposed on the main support structure.
 3. The pipe handler as set forth in claim 2, wherein the lift arm further comprises a roller screw nut for receiving a roller screw operatively coupled to a motor for rotating the roller screw.
 4. The pipe handler as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pipe carrier further comprises a trough for receiving pipe thereon.
 5. The pipe handler as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a skate slidably disposed on the pipe carrier.
 6. The pipe handler as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a pipe indexer configured to move tubulars from a storage area disposed on the V-door onto the pipe carrier.
 7. The pipe handler as set forth in claim 6, wherein the pipe indexer comprises a plurality of pipe pushers slidably disposed in the storage area.
 8. The pipe handler as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a pipe kicker configured to move tubulars from the pipe carrier to a storage area disposed on the V-door.
 9. The pipe handler as set forth in claim 8, wherein the pipe kicker comprises a plurality of kicker mechanisms, each kicker mechanism comprising a kicker arm.
 10. The pipe handler as set forth in claim 9, wherein each kicker arm further comprises a kicker roller configured to roll on top of the pipe carrier.
 11. A method for handling tubulars on a tender assisted drilling rig comprising an elevated drilling rig floor and an adjacent lower platform, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a pipe handler disposed between the drilling rig floor and the lower platform, the pipe handler comprising: i) a main support structure having upper and lower ends, the upper end configured to operatively coupled to the drilling rig near the drilling rig floor, the lower end configured to operatively couple to the lower platform wherein the main support structure is disposed at an incline thereto, ii) a V-door operatively coupled to the main support structure, the V-door comprising an upper end pivotally attached to the upper end of the main support structure, iii) means for elevating the lower end of the V-door operatively disposed between the main support structure and the V-door, and iv) a pipe carrier slidably disposed on the V-door, the pipe carrier configured to extend from a seated position to an extended position that places the pipe carrier nearer the drilling rig floor; b) delivering a plurality of tubulars to the pipe handler from a tender vessel using a high-line mechanism and placing the tubulars in a storage area on a V-door disposed on the pipe handler; c) moving the V-door to a substantially horizontal position relative to the drilling rig floor; d) indexing one tubular onto a pipe carrier slidably disposed on the V-door; e) extending the pipe carrier towards the drilling rig floor; and f) pushing the tubular along the pipe carrier further towards the drilling rig floor with a skate slidably disposed on the pipe carrier wherein the tubular can be presented for connection with a drill string.
 12. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the elevating means comprises a lift arm further comprising upper and lower ends, the upper end pivotally attached to the V-door, the lower end slidably disposed on the main support structure.
 13. The method as set forth in claim 12, wherein the lift arm further comprises a roller screw nut for receiving a roller screw operatively coupled to a motor for rotating the roller screw.
 14. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the pipe carrier further comprises a trough for receiving pipe thereon.
 15. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the pipe handler further comprises a skate slidably disposed on the pipe carrier.
 16. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the pipe handler further comprises a pipe indexer configured to move tubulars from a storage area disposed on the V-door onto the pipe carrier.
 17. The method as set forth in claim 16, wherein the pipe indexer comprises a plurality of pipe pushers slidably disposed in the storage area.
 18. The method as set forth in claim 11, wherein the pipe handler further comprises a pipe kicker configured to move tubulars from the pipe carrier to a storage area disposed on the V-door.
 19. The method as set forth in claim 18, wherein the pipe kicker comprises a plurality of kicker mechanisms, each kicker mechanism comprising a kicker arm.
 20. The method as set forth in claim 19, wherein each kicker arm further comprises a kicker roller configured to roll on top of the pipe carrier. 